My Blog List

Friday, 29 August 2014

Out of curiosity I took a look at this new bike posted on Bike Exif - the Midual Type 1 priced at $185,000 or approximately £119,000. For me,I just don't get it as I don't even think it's a good looking bike. I can't see anything about it that would excite me as I opened up the garage door. Sure it's going to be fast, but whoopee doo ! Looks to me like they've done as much as they can to make it stand out from the crowd of other Big Power naked bikes,but.....................? For more info and detailed pics look at Bike Exif

Wednesday, 20 August 2014

I was able to get to the local MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) organised Bristol Bike Show last Saturday. A lot of it was of no interest to me at all with good proportion of bikes coming and going being fairly stock looking Harley Davidsons,but it's a free and friendly event and not quite as busy as the earlier in the year Auto Italia Day,so this makes moving about so much easier. Here's a few pics of some that caught my eye in the fairly short time that I was there,

I first saw this in the car park at Shepton Mallet Autojumblelast year,but didn't have my camera with me at the time

I just don't get a side mounted number plate on Cafe Racer style bikesand I am not going to mention the star rear light

Tuesday, 12 August 2014

I have received my purchased copy of 'Italian Cafe Racers,' the New book by Uli Cloesen. I would have bought it anyway,but was quite keen to get a hold of a copy, sooner rather than later, as there was a chance that my old 1100 Sport based Single seat build would be in there. As it turned out, a couple of days after my putting in my order Uli contacted me to say "the books out and your bike is featured" Now it's not the bike that I would have chosen at all to go in a book about Cafe Racers, as I only ever referred to it as a 'single seat Guzzi' - yeah, really original with my name tags aren't I ? - but who am I to argue. I know a lot of die hard Guzzi types didn't like this bike,but it still created a lot of interest when I originally sold it via Ebay a couple of years ago and I think it actually attracted people that wouldn't normally give Guzzi's a second glance - Convert the unconverted is a better result really anyway......isn't it ? Anyway,it was only ever built as a means to getting rid of all the parts in one go rather than Breaking the bike and to try something a little different. The book/content is nicely put together as are his other publications (I also have BMW Cafe Racers and Italian Custom Motorcycles)

If I am really honest then I would have preferred to see either my current
Cafe Racer (pictured above) or

this one one from 4 - 5 years ago
as photographed by Adam of Italian Motor Magazine

Monday, 11 August 2014

My friend Martin has been up to his old tricks again...............gets up in the morning and just decides to make a mould for his new BMW project seat,

Job Done !

When the seat base is suitably modified,it's to fit the altered
subframe. Still a gusset to be added to this though

Standard Mono subframe

using a old /5 seat base as the pattern so that he can modify that, rather than the original. Covers the original with sticky backed aluminium foil, a quick waxing as a release agent, then a couple of coats of Gel coat and lays on the fibreglass. Hey Presto !............ Bob's your Uncle and Fanny's your Aunt. STILL WISH HE'D FINISH THE BLOODY NOURISH THOUGH !

Monday, 4 August 2014

It was the 6th Nailsea Bike Show - which is only approx 12 miles from where I live in Bristol - this last weekend and the first time that I actually got to visit,meeting up with Fran and Inara on route. It has also just changed venue to the very charming 'Old Barn' Pub just on the outskirts of the town. It was actually a weekend show with camping allowed in the reasonably extensive grounds / gardens and the pub, which is full of character, sells a good range of Real Ales and Ciders.